Reminiscing about bouley bashers over the years has been a journey down memory lane for generations of Aberdonians – and 83% of our readers said it was all a bit of harmless fun.
We looked at the youth subculture from the days of beasting bashed-up old minis down the Boulevard to the spoilers and dump valves of the noughties.
And readers in their droves were quick to share happy tales of friendships, romances and the sense of community around the bouley.
Over the years, the bouley bashers hit the headlines amid high-profile police campaigns and court cases to slow down speedsters.
For decades, neighbouring residents complained their lives were made a misery thanks to the din of racing.
Readers have their say on bouley bashers poll
But we wanted to see what our readers thought, and so we launched a poll asking whether bouley bashers really were anti-social.
And the results are in: readers voted overwhelmingly that bouley bashing was just a bit of fun.
We asked: “Are car meet-ups in Aberdeen a bit of harmless fun, or is it anti-social behaviour?”, and 82.9% of those polled said it’s just a bit of fun compared to 17.1% who feel it’s anti-social behaviour.
Readers said it was a community where firm friendships – and more – were forged over a shared loved of cars.
The comments section was a roll-call of cars with many sharing stories of their prized motors, from Mk4 Cortinas of the ’80s, to 1.2 Vauxhall Novas and Mk2 Fiestas of the ’90s.
Some addressed critics and said: “I can understand people thinking it’s a sad thing to do, but if you were into cars then there was no other place like it.
“No matter what time of the day, or what day it was, you were guaranteed to see someone you know.”
Bouley was “my home away from home”
Our story prompted a real discussion on social media, with hundreds of comments and memories shared.
The consensus was these were the happy, heady days of youth where like-minded petrol heads enjoyed getting together and discussing all things cars.
One commenter said they were “the good old days for sure” and another agreed, saying “had some of the best times down the bouley, made a lot of good friends that are still friends now”.
A common theme was the great banter and “great bunch of people” involved in the meetings.
One of the most popular comments said: “I started going down there in 1998 when I passed my test and met some fantastic folk who I’m still friends with today.
“I have so many happy memories of evenings spent doon the beach.”
Many people chimed in sharing their own memories, with an overriding sense of nostalgia and companionship among the bouley bashers.
“Was there in the late 70s early 80s was always great fun and met a lot of great people”, wrote another.
Such was the strength of community, one reader called the bouley his “home away from home”, reminiscing about the days before mobile phones and CCTV.
‘I met my wife through CB radio’ — romance doon the bouley
And of course, although we call them boy racers, it wasn’t just the boys’ domain – lots of girls joined in the bouley action too.
Women were as welcome as the lads, with dozens of comments saying they were “the good old days”, “the best days of my life” and one who said she was there in the ’80s with her “MK 1 Astra with wide wheels”.
Another bouley basher praised how friendly everyone was, saying: “Everyone was so inclusive and always happy to meet new people, even had the internet forum back in the day as well.”
For some, those firm friendships blossomed into romance, with many meeting their spouses.
One woman said she remembered the bouley days of the early ’90s having met her husband there, and they’re still together 27 years on.
While another heartfelt comment said: “I was a bouley basher back in early ’80s with our CB radios and our handles on sunstrips on the windscreen. I met my wife through the CB radio and have been together for 41 years and still use our handles.”
And some kept it in the family for generations.
One woman commented: “My mum and dad met down the bouley, me and my partner met down there too. Me and my daughter both wouldn’t be here had there been no car scene.”
Another reader wrote: “Some great memories of my nights spent doon the bouley, parked up on the trammers, convoys to cruises and car events, still in touch with loads of people from back then, my own kids now all drive and enjoy being car enthusiasts too.”
High-octane antics down the bouley
Others shared insights into the high-octane driving that created a decades-long stand-off with authorities and racers.
One reader said: “We would race up and down at 120mph while cars blocked the junction so no-one else was on the road, haha.”
Another reminisced that it was “good fun and must have annoyed the bobbies when all the cars slowed down as they went past”.
One of the early ’90s bouley bashers said he had fun times with his blue Ford RS1600i then latterly a grey sapphire Cosworth, joking that “evading the plod became a subtle art form”.
Not everyone elaborated, but hinted at doing “crazy things” they wouldn’t do now.
But another former bouley basher from the 1980s said “it was always a bikers’ haunt” and that car drivers who were “put in their place” never attempted to go near the tramlines.
One biker said he clocked up 15,000 miles on his bike in nine months.
Some started out on two wheels before graduating to four: “First went down in ’91 when I passed my bike test, then ’92 when I passed my driving test, many happy nights down there with a great group of folk.”
Many said they miss those days and others joked that they would love to have another hurl along the bouley one night for old time’s sake.
One former bouley basher summed up the sentiments of many: “It was a great way to spend summer evenings, youngsters enjoying their cars, bikes and Codonas.
“We were so lucky to be able to enjoy the freedoms of having got your driving licence.”
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